Travels through Dali with a Leg of Ham

Chronicled in the Penguin title Travels through Dali with a leg of Ham, this is a journey of cultural and culinary discovery. Savor in the age-old traditions behind local delicacies. Step into the kitchens of Yunnan's specialty chefs and immerse in the fascinating tales of artisanal Dali.

About This Trip

Growing up in Dali, the sweet, nutty aroma of sizzling ham always signaled a good meal for WildChina Founder Mei Zhang. Embark on the trip behind her Penguin published book Travels through Dali with a leg of Ham, and travel to her home town in search of her favorite childhood meals. Veer off the highway into forgotten villages, step into the kitchens of Dali's culinary artists, watch traditions thrive as they have done for generations and savor the taste of that famous salt-cured ham.

Trip Length7Days

from CNY

¥12,560.37 /person

Private Tour

春spring

夏summer

秋fall

冬winter

Food
,
Adventures

What we love

Visit the farm of Mr Yang Xuegong and see ham in its different stages of curing

Discover how Dali boasts its own unique cheese culture, a remnant of earlier Mongolian influence

Meet Madame Chen, the 79 year who reigns over the most famous pickle 'empire' in Weishan

Basic Itinerary

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day1

Yunlong/Nuodeng Village

Arrive into Dali airport and meet your WildChina guide and driver in the arrival hall • Veer far off the highway and follow a narrow river to Yunlong, a village known by locals to have perfected the art of ham curing • Spend the evening in Mr. Zhang Jiahong's guesthouse and discover he is the perfect fixer for your ham and salt quest.

Day2

Master’s Well Village

Drive through the countryside to Master's Well Village • visit the home of Mr Yang Zhiguang, a local salt maker • Shelter under a makeshift cover and watch how salt is extracted from a well and crystalized, using a traditional process unchanged for centuries • Relax on Mr Yang's porch and watch him and his wife process the salt further and prepare it for market • Taste the final product, a salt with a sweet aftertaste referred to as tu yan(土盐) • Visit the farm of Mr Yang Xuegong and see ham in its different stages of curing • Visit the local market and whet your appetite for dinner • Admire the skills displayed by Famer Yang's son as he scorches, cleans and cuts the Ham, preparing it for dinner

Day3

Yunlong - Shaxi

Pass the turnoff for Master's Well Village and continue further north to Shundang Village, another of the 8 famed salt villages • Admire the Qing-era fortifications that protect the path leading into the village and marvel at how different Shundang is from Master's Well • Now home to very few, wander past traditional tomb stones and through the abandoned old village • Leave behind the covered bridges and Yang family's of Yunlong and continue on to Shaxi, once a bustling trade town on the tea horse caravan road

Day4

Shaxi

Pray for fertility in the Shibaoshan Grottoes, where Jianchuan's earliest craftsman carved, in sandstone, the popular sculpture Ah-Yang-Bai • Visit Stone Dragon Village where 'Those who can walk, dance; and those who can talk, sing' • Meet the region's Folk Music King and watch a captivating musical performance full of longing and lust, wantonness and excitement • Back in Shaxi, step into the home of Mrs Shi Fumei, a local cheese maker • Discover how Dali boasts its own unique cheese culture, a remnant of earlier Mongolian influence • Watch as Mrs Shi steams milk on a wood-fired stove before separating the curds from the whey • Wait for your delicious cheese snack to cool and chat with Mrs Shi as she stitches cloth shoes

Day5

Shaxi – Dali - Weishan

Drive from Shaxi towards Dali old town, stopping on the way for a traditional 3 cup ceremony • Feel removed from the rest of China's tea culture as you reflect on your life with a bitter, sweet and lingering tea • Continue onto Weishan, home to mainly Yi and Hui ethnic groups • Savor erkuai, a Weishan cured-ham specialty for dinner

Day6

Dali

Meet Madame Chen, the 79 year who reigns over the most famous pickle 'empire' in Weishan • Head into Chen's central courtyard and watch her staff prepare vegetables for pickling • Look above the workers heads at the rows and rows of metre-high jars, filled to the brim with vegetables in pickling liquor • Enjoy lunch at South street restaurant before spending the afternoon in Dali's old town • Tantalize your taste buds with cross-cultural culinary experience at Gil's Casa Bai

Day7

Depart Dali

Spend the morning enjoying Dali's dynamic interwoven streets • Transfer to the airport and check in for your flight to your next adventure.

Tour Reviews

My husband and I just enjoyed a two-week trip (business and pleasure) guided by Wild China. Putting ourselves in the hands of Wild China (Jenny Zhao in particular) was definitely the right decision. What a beautiful country! And we could never have appreciated it in such a comfortable and relaxed fashion like we did without the help of Wild China. Their attention to detail during the pre-planning put my mind at ease and allowed us to get very specific about what we wanted to do with the time we had. Visit TripAdvisor to read more.

E. M., Aug 2017

WildChina is a high quality and trustworthy travel company. Jenny is honest, reliable, listens well and as this as our second trip with her, she hasn't steered us wrong yet! This was also our second trip with Sonam, one of our guides. He masterfully uses his trekking skills, local knowledge, and pays attention to detail and his clients to ensure a memorable experience, while managing the schedule and pace of activities to fit the limitation of his clients. Our purpose for travel is to have an adventure, and experience the people, culture and sights of Asia. WildChina does an outstanding job of immersing us in those elements safely and comfortably in parts of China that are still unspoiled and reflect the country's great diversity of people and geography.

A. S., Jul 2017

Best of all were our guide Shelly and our driver Joe. They quickly understood our interest in Yunnan's ethnic diversity and shaped our itinerary to match our interests. Our accommodations in boutique hotels gave us a sense of living in the community rather than in a sterile large hotel environment. Whether your interest is in outdoor activities, learning about religion or culture, or enjoying great local food, we strongly recommend booking with WildChina and traveling with Shelly and Joe - it was a once in a lifetime experience for us! Visit TripAdvisor to read more.